Confirmation 

are ?ou reatig to serte Christ 




E. P. Dutton and Company Publish 

Sox Confirmation cmb tl)c ^olg GTommnnion. 



A MANUAL OF CONFIRMATION. By E. M. Goulburn, D. D. 
With an Introductory Note and an Appeal, by Henry C. Potter, D. D. Paper, 
67 pp., 20 cents. 

This most useful manual consists of four parts. 

I. A General Account of the Ordinance of Confirmation. Here 
is shown with great clearness, — (1) its Scriptural ground ; (2) its history ; (3) the 
form which the Church of England gave it ; and (4) why it is not a sacrament. 

II. The Baptismal Vow and the Order of Confirmation ; with short 
notes. The notes are excellent, containing a very large amount of suggestive 
information. 

III. Meditations and Prayers. These reflect the deep earnestness for 
which Dean Goulburn is remarkable. 

IV. An Appeal. This will be found to supply just such thoughts as every 
clergyman must have felt the need of in his regular work, and a satisfactory an- 
swer to many of those difficulties which beset the wavering. 

COA T FIRMA TION ; or, Are you ready to serve Christ? By the Rt. 
Rev. Ashton Oxenden, D. D., Bishop of Montreal. From the 313th Thou- 
sand of English edition. Paper, 10 cents. 

OBSER VA HONS on the Nature, Duty, and Benefits of the 
Apostolic Rite of Confirmation. By the Rt. Rev. George M. Ran- 
dall, D. D. Seventh edition, paper, 10 cents. 

CONFIRM A TION, EXPLAINED AND DEFENDED. By 
the Rev. James A. Bolles, D. D. 10 cents. 

A PLAIN TRACT ON CONFIRMATION By the Rt. Rev. 
C. T. Quintard, D. D. 10 cents. 

A PR EPA R A TION FOR CONFIRM A TION. By the Rt. Rev. 

C. T. Quintard, D. D. Price reduced to 12 cents. 

THE PASTOR'S APPEAL TO HIS FLOCK. On Confirma- 
tion, the Holy Communion, and the Christian Life. 8 cents. 



CONFIRMATION; 

OR, 

ARE YOU READY TO SERYE CHRIST 1 



BY THE 

V 

Right Ret. ASHTON OXENDEN, D. D. 

Bishop of Montreal, and Metropolitan of Canada. 



gftraptefc to tie American Seriuce* 



From the 313th Thousand of the English Edition. 




E. P. BUTTON AND COMPANY, 
<£!mrcf) $uiritsj)ers. 
1874. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by E. P. Dutton 
and Company, in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 




PART THE FIRST. 

CHAP. PAGE 

1. The Young Soldier of Christ 3 

2. Confirmation — What does it mean ? 6 

3. The Blessing which God has given us, and the Promises 

which we have made . 9 

4. Some Wrong Notions about Confirmation 14 

5. The Confirmation Service 18 

6. A few Words of Advice to a Young Person before he is 

Confirmed 21 

7. Prayers : 

1. For one who is preparing for Confirmation . . 23 

2. To be used/ws£ before Confirmation 21 

PART THE SECOND. 

1. Advice to oae who has just been Confirmed . ; . . . 25 

2. A few Plain Words about the Lord's Supper .... 27 

3. Prayers : 

1. A Prayer to be used after Confirmation 30 

2. A Prayer for one going to receive the Lord's Supper 
for the first time 31 



PART THE FIRST. 

23cforc Confirmation* 



CHAPTER I. 
THE YOUNG SOLDIER OF CHEIST. 

I WAS once in company with a person, who 
told me that she had a son whom she loved very 
dearly. He was her only child. From the time 
that he was quite a little boy, he had always 
longed to be a soldier. He was a quiet, steady 
lad ; but she could not get him to take an in- 
terest in any other calling than this. He was 
bent on being a soldier. 

His mother told him of the many difficulties 
in the way. She talked to him about the hard- 
ships of a soldier's life. And what grieved her 
most, perhaps, was the danger that he would be 
exposed to, far away from his own home. But 
she tried in vain. He was bent on being a sol- 
dier. 

Now, my dear young friend, is this your 



4 



THE YOUNG SOLDIER OF CHRIST. 



wish ? Are you bent on being a soldier ? I 
do not mean such a soldier as this young man 
wished to become : I mean, a Soldier of 
Christ. 

It certainly is not an easy thing to be one of 
His soldiers. If we are in His army, we must 
be in earnest. We must fight boldly. We 
must " quit ourselves like men." We. must 
" endure hardships." Our enemies are strong 
and many. There are difficulties and trials and 
dangers before us. But we must not mind 
them. We must cheerfully and manfully face 
them all. 

But, though it is not an easy thing to be a 
good soldier of Jesus Christ, yet it is a very 
blessed and happy service. 

Christ furnishes us with the best of weapons. 
He puts on us " the shield of faith," "the hel- 
met of salvation," and " the sword of the Spirit, 
which is the word of God." (Eph. vi.) He 
gives us good wages, too. His soldiers have a 
hard life, but a happy one. They want for 
nothing. (Ps. xxiii. 1.) He Himself fights 
with them. He is their Captain. He comforts 
them when they are troubled. He cheers them 
when they are low, and supplies them abun- 
dantly with His grace. (2 Cor. xii. 9 ; 2 Tim. 
iv. 17.) 



THE YOUNG SOLDIER OF CHRIST. 



5 



And then, the battle is sure to end well. The 
Lord's people are certain of victory. He can 
make them " more than conquerors." And 
after they have toiled a little while here below 
He takes them to His happy kingdom above, 
where they shall be with Him forever. " Be 
thou faithful unto death," He says, " and I will 
give thee a crown of life." " To him that over- 
cometh, will I grant to sit with me in my 
throne ; even as I overcame, and am set down 
with my Father, in his throne." (Rev. ii. 10 ; 
iii. 21.) 

My dear friend, do you wish to be such a sol- 
dier as this ? But stop. You are a soldier in 
one sense. You have been already enlisted in 
Christ's army. But you will ask, " How is 
this ? " I will tell you. 

You know, that when you were quite a little 
child your parents took you to church, and you 
were then baptized, or christened. That is what 
I mean, when I say you have been already en- 
tered into Christ's army. What more, then, is 
now wanting ? Why, there is another Ordi- 
nance besides Baptism ; and you are invited in 
that Ordinance to come forward, and declare 
with your own mouth, and before all men, that 
you are heartily willing to serve Christ and to 
become really and truly His soldier. The Or- 



6 MEANING OF CONFIRMATION. 

dinance I am speaking of is Confirmation. In 
the next chapter I shall try and explain to you 
what this Confirmation is. But before you go 
any farther, I wish you to think seriously of 
what I have now said. Consider in your mind 
what it is to be " a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 
(2 Tim. ii. 3.) 



CHAPTER II. 

CONFIRMATION — WHAT DOES IT MEAN ? 

At the end of the last chapter, I spoke of 
your having been baptized. That was some 
time ago. You were then a very little infant ; 
and you were not able to think, or speak, for 
yourself. Still, you were baptized ; because 
your father and mother wished to obey the com- 
mand of Christ, and looked for His blessing. 
They wished that you might, from your very 
childhood, be numbered as one of the lambs of 
His flock. 

When your parents carried you to the church, 
they took with them three persons, who are 
called your Godfathers and Godmothers. And 
why was this, do you think ? It was, because 
you could not make a single promise for your- 



MEANING OF CONFIRMATION. 



7 



self. You were much too young. So these 
kind friends promised for you. They promised, 
in your name, that you would renounce (or for- 
sake) the devil, the world, and the flesh, and 
that you would faithfully serve Christ. 

This was a solemn promise. They made it, 
because they hoped you would keep it. They 
prayed that you might keep it. And they 
asked God to give you His Holy Spirit and to 
make you His child. 

And now, my dear friend, you are quite old 
enough to declare plainly for yourself, and with 
your own mouth, whether you will abide by 
these promises or not. 

It may be, if you look back on the past, your 
conscience will whisper to you, that you have 
not lived as a child of God ought. Oh, how 
often have you offended your kind and loving 
Father ! You are young ; but yet, young as 
you are, you have perhaps broken many of His 
laws. How much have you loved the things of 
the world ; and how little, how very little, have 
you loved Him ! 

May the Holy Spirit touch your heart, and 
make you feel what an awful thing it is to be 
a Christian in name, and yet all the while a 
stranger to Christ ! Go to God, and ask Him 
to soften your hard heart. Go to your Saviour, 



8 



MEANING OF CONFIRMATION. 



and entreat His forgiveness ; and pray that His 
blood may wash away your past sin. 

But now God seems ^specially to call upon 
you to consider whose you are, and whom you 
will serve. There is shortly to be a Confirma- 
tion in your neighborhood, and I am supposing 
that you are of a fit age to take part in it. If 
you are allowed to be confirmed, you will go 
and declare openly, before all your brethren, 
that you are not ashamed of Christ, but that 
you are determined, by God's help, to be His 
true soldier and servant. 

Your Clergyman cannot confirm you. It is 
only the Bishop who can perform this solemn 
office. He will therefore be at the Confirma- 
tion. He will solemnly ask you if it is your 
earnest desire to act, as your friends promised 
for you. And if you declare that such is your 
desire, then he will pray for you, and he will 
put his hands upon you, and bless you in the 
Lord's name. 

So then, you see, Confirmation is a very seri- 
ous and important matter. It is indeed one of 
the most solemn acts of your life. I advise you 
then to be very thoughtful. Pray earnestly to 
God, that He will prepare your heart. Try to 
understand what you are going to do, — you are 



THE BLESSING AND THE PROMISES. 9 



going to confirm, with your own words, the prom- 
ises which were made for you at your baptism. 
And may you become, from that day, a true, 
decided, and confirmed follower of your blessed 
Saviour ! 



CHAPTER III. 

THE BLESSING WHICH GOD HAS GIVEN US, AND 
THE PROMISES WHICH WE HAVE MADE. 

*What was the good of being baptized, do 
you think ? I have already told you that you 
were then offered to Christ, and entered into 
His army. But I think you will see this more 
clearly, if you look at the beginning of your 
Catechism. 

You are there told, that at your Baptism 
you were made " a Member of Christ, a Child 
of Grod, and an Inheritor of the Kingdom of 
Heaven." Let us try and understand this. 

1. You were then made " a Member of 
Christ." Now, this means that you were from 
that time looked upon as a Christian, or a mem- 
ber of Christ's Church. You were by nature 
" born in sin," and " a child of wrath ; " but 
when you were offered to Christ in your Bap- 



10 THE BLESSING AND THE PROMISES. 



tism, He took you under His special care, and 
ybu became one of the little ones of His flock. 

2. You were then made " a child of God." 
God was pleased, from that time, to call Him- 
self your Father ; and you were numbered 
among His family. Oh, then, how doubly sin- 
ful have you been, if you have not lived as His 
child ought to live ! 

3. You were then made " an Inheritor of the 
Kingdom of Heaven" A person, who has a cer- 
tain property or inheritance left him, is called 
an " Inheritor." Heaven is the Christian's in- 
heritance. (1 Peter, i. 3.) Your Saviour has 

^purchased it for you ; and He freely offers it to 
those who heartily love and serve Him. 

These then were the blessings made over 
* to you at your baptism. And now, I hope, you 
understand the good of being baptized. It is a 
great honor to be a member of Christ, a child 
of God, and an heir of heaven ! God grant 
that you may be so in the truest and highest 
sense ! (Rom. xii. 5 ; John, i. 12 ; and Rom. 
vii. 14, 17.) 

But I said that certain promises were also 
made for you at the time when you were bap- 
tized. Now, if a person promises anything for 
me, I ought to be very anxious to find out what 
it is that he has promised. 



THE BLESSING AND THE PROMISES. 



11 



Let us see then what were the Promises that 
were made for you by your godfathers and god- 
mothers. We shall find them in the first part 
of the Catechism. They are three in number. 

First. — They promised that you would " re- 
nounce (or forsake) the Devil and all his works" 
This means, that you would give up everything 
sinful. They promised, also, that you would 
renounce " the pomps and vanity of this wicked 
world" There are many who love the world, 
though it is a wicked world ; and they are liv- 
ing entirely for this world. But all this you 
have promised to renounce : and you are not a 
Christian, unless you have renounced it. (1 
John, ii. 15, 16.) Again, they promised that 
you would renounce " the sinful lusts of the 
flesh" And what does that mean? Look at 
Gal. v. 19, 20, 21. There you will plainly see 
what the lusts of the flesh are. You know our 
hearts are sinful, and we have a great many evil 
desires and inclinations. These are called " the 
lusts of the flesh ; " and these we have promised 
to give up. 

Look at that careless and godless man, who 
is foremost in everything that is bad, and whom 
no one respects. He can hardly speak without 
an oath. He thinks very lightly of sin. Do 
not suppose that he has " renounced the devil 



12 THE BLESSING AND THE PROMISES. 



and all his works." No ; he is following them, 
instead of forsaking them as he promised. 

Look at that silly, thoughtless girl, who thinks 
so much about her dress. She is always longing 
to go to this or that place of amusement. She 
is so taken up with things here below, that she 
has but very little concern about her precious, 
never-dying soul. Has she " renounced the 
pomps and vanity of this wicked world ? " No ; 
she has broken her promise, and is sinning 
against God, 

Look at a third. We seldom see him in God's 
house, but we often hear of his being in evil 
company. He often gives way to his evil tem- 
per, and does not try to get the better of it. 
Whatever he feels a desire to do, whether it be 
right or wrong, he does it. Do you think we 
can say, that he is " renouncing the sinful lusts 
of the flesh ? " No : he is giving way to them, 
and he is destroying his own soul. 

Secondly. — They promised that you would 
" believe all the articles of the Christian faith. 
This means all that a Christian ought to believe. 
And all this we find drawn up for us in the Be- 
lief. But remember we must believe with our 
hearts ; for it is written, " With the heart man 
believeth unto righteousness." 

Thirdly. — They promised that you would 



THE BLESSING AND THE PROMISES. 13 

" keep CrocVs holy will and commandments, and 
ivalk in the same (or continue to keep them) all 
the days of your life" There is no difficulty in 
finding out what is God's will and what , are- 
God's commands. We see them in every page 
of the Bible ; and oh, that we were more ready 
to obey them ! 

Now, these are the things, my dear young 
friend, which have already been promised for 
you. And these are the very promises which 
you are going to stand to, at your Confirmation. 
You are now going to make them for yourself, 
with your own lips. 

You feel perhaps that you are a poor, weak 
creature ; and how can you keep these promises ? 
You have indeed no power of your own ; and if 
you trust to your own strength, you will be 
quite sure to break them. But lift up your 
heart to God : He can give you His grace and 
strength. Pray to Him, and ask Him to be 
your Helper. Then you will be strong indeed. 
Then you will get the better of all your enemies 
and of your own evil heart ; and then you will 
be able to say, as St. Paul did, " I can do all 
things through Christ, which strengtheneth me" 
(Phil. iv. 13.) 



14 



WRONG NOTIONS 



CHAPTER IV. 
SOME WRONG NOTIONS ABOUT CONFIRMATION. 

The chapters which you have already read, T 
hope, have done you some good. I pray to God 
that they may. Perhaps you begin to under- 
stand the subject a little better; and to feel 
more properly about it. But yet, I think, it 
will be well to mention some of the Wrong No- 
tions which people have about Confirmation. 

First Mistake. — Some wish to be confirmed, 
because they have arrived at the age of fifteen 
or sixteen years. They think they must be 
quite old enough. Or, again, they wish it, be- 
cause their companions, or their brothers and 
sisters, have been confirmed ; and why should 
not they also ? They know nothing about Con- 
firmation ; but, somehow or other, they think it 
is a right thing to be confirmed. So they go to 
their Minister, and have their names put down. 

Certainly, it is right for 'every Christian to be 
confirmed ; and you may be quite old enough. 
But this alone would be but a poor reason for 
going. The question is, Are you in a right state 
of mind ? Are you willing to give yourself to 
the Lord ? 

Second Mistake. — Many look upon it as a 



ABOUT CONFIRMATION. 



15 



mere outward form. They think that if they 
go to church, and get the Bishop's blessing, all 
will be well. But they take no pains to under- 
stand what they are going to do. And they 
never offer up one single prayer to God, that 
He would make them feel rightly about it. I 
am afraid this is very commonly the case. Num- 
bers just go through the outward form ; but get 
no blessing on their souls. 

Third Mistake. — I have often asked a person 
what Confirmation is ? And the answer has 
been given, "It is taking our sins upon our- 
selves" Yes, some are so ignorant as to sup- 
pose that a child's godfather and godmother are 
answerable for his sins, till he has been to the 
Bishop ; and that afterwards he is bound to an- 
swer for them himself. This is a very common 
mistake ; and it is a very dangerous one. 

But surely no fellow-creature can answer for 
another's sins. Each one must answer for his 
own. And the moment a child begins to know 
the difference between right and wrong, he is 
accountable to God for all that he does. 

Have you ever thought seriously of this? 
Oh, it is a solemn truth that for all the sins of 
your childhood, and your youth, you will be 
judged ! There is only One who can bear your 
sins for you : this is the Lord Jesus Christ. Go 



16 



WRONG NOTIONS. 



and cast yourself on Him, and ask Him to take 
away all your guilt. (Isaiah, liii. 6 ; 1 Peter, 
ii. 24.) 

Fourth Mistake. — Some think that mere 
knowledge is enough, that if you understand 
what Confirmation is, if you can say the Lord's 
Prayer, and the Ten Commandments, and the 
Belief, and can answer a few questions, nothing 
more is required. But no, it is not enough for 
you to know these things : you must also feel 
them, and act upon them. You must not only 
have knowledge in your head, but the love of 
God in your heart. 

Fifth Mistake. — Others again, I fear, are 
even worse. They make light of the whole mat- 
ter. They only think of the holidajr they will 
have, and of meeting a great number of boys 
and girls of their own age, and of seeing a great 
crowd of people. But this is making a trifle of 
religion. This is tempting God to pour down 
His curse upon you, instead of a blessing. " Be 
not deceived. God is not mocked." May you 
be kept from so great, so awful a sin ! 

Sixth Mistake. — Some say they find nothing 
about Confirmation in the Bible. But, if we 
look into the Acts of the Apostles, we shall see 
that a kind of Confirmation was certainly prac- 
ticed by the Apostles. In the eighth and nine- 



ABOUT CONFIRMATION. 



17 



teenth chapters, we are told that they laid their 
hands on those who had been baptized. This 
was in order that they might receive some fur- 
ther gifts of God's grace, and be more fully 
strengthened by the Holy Spirit. 

Here then was a practice very like pur Con- 
firmation, though not quite the same , thing. 
And then, after the death of the Apostles, we 
learn that this custom was kept up, and all 
those who were baptized were afterwards con- 
firmed. 

It is indeed a most useful and important ordi- 
nance ; and many a serious person has looked 
back upon it, as the season when he first heart- 
ily entered upon the service of God. May it 
prove so to you, my dear friend ! May your 
heart be touched by the grace of God ! Take 
Christ for your Saviour, His people for your 
companions, and heaven for your home. " Ask 
the way to Zion, with your face thitherward, 
saying, Come and let us join ourselves to the 
Lord in a perpetual covenant that shall not be 
forgotten." (Jer. 1. 5.) 



2 



18 



THE CONFIRMATION SERVICE. 



CHAPTER V. 
THE CONFIRMATION SERVICE. 

You know that on the day of Confirmation 
there will be a gathering of people in the 
church. You know that prayer will be offered 
to God, and that the Bishop will lay his hands 
upon you, and repeat some solemn words. 
Now, is all this a mere outward ceremony ? I 
trust that you, my dear reader, do not think so. 
Whatever others may think, I hope you feel a 
desire to enter upon this service with all your 
heart. 

You will like then to know beforehand ex- 
actly what prayers will be used, and what part 
you will take in the service. 

Now, get your Prayer-book and find it out. 

You will see that the first part is a kind of 
address or exhortation. It begins with these 
words, " To the end that Confirmation," etc. 
You are there told the use of Confirmation. It 
is " that children, being now come to years of 
discretion, and having learned what their god- 
fathers and godmothers promised for them in 
baptism, may themselves, with their own mouth 
and consent, openly ,before the Church, ratify 
and confirm the same." 



THE CONFIRMATION SERVICE. 19 

Then the Bishop will ask you this very 
solemn question : " Do you here, in the pres- 
ence of God and of this congregation, renew the 
solemn promise and vow that was made for you 
at your baptism ; ratifying and confirming the 
same in your own persons, and acknowledging 
yourselves bound to believe and to do all those 
things which your godfathers and godmothers 
then undertook for you ? " 

Now, I advise you to read this over two or 
three times, till you quite understand it. The 
meaning of the question is this : " Do you pub- 
licly, before God and man, declare that you 
will, by God's help, keep to the promises made 
for you when you were baptized ; and that you 
will believe and do all that a Christian ought to 
believe and do ? " 

You will see, that to this question you are 
expected to give a very short, but a very de- 
cided, answer, — "I DO." These two little 
words are very soon said. But oh, how impor- 
tant they are ! I shall say more about them 
presently. 

When you have all given this answer, the 
Service will go on. A few short petitions will 
be offered up by the Bishop and the congrega- 
tion. Then the Bishop alone will pra^. He 
will ask God to strengthen you with the Holy 



20 



THE CONFIRMATION SERVICE. 



Ghost, and to give you more and more of His 
grace. 

After this you will all go up to the Commun- 
ion rails. Whilst you are kneeling there, the 
Bishop will lay his hands upon you and ask a 
blessing. This is a very solemn moment, and I 
trust you will feel it to be so. 

You will then go back to your places ; and 
some more prayers will be offered up for you. 
Endeavor to join in them with all your heart. 
And, when the service is ended, instead of look- 
ing thoughtlessly about you, try and feel what 
a very important act you have been engaged in. 

Now I have told you a very little about the 
Confirmation Service ; but enough, I hope, to 
help you to understand it. 

But let us go back for a moment to that short 
but very important answer, which you will have 
to make. If you are really bent on being a good 
soldier of Christ ; if you are desirous to take 
Him for your Master, and to give up all sin ; 
then you may indeed answer, " I DO." And 
you will be saying what is true. But if not, 
then you will be speaking what is false. And 
oh, how shocking it is to tell a deliberate false- 
hood, especially at such a moment as this ! 
Would it not be a very wrong thing to pledge 
yourself to one of your fellow-creatures, and 



ADVICE BEFORE CONFIRMATION. 



21 



then to break your pledge ? But how much 
more wrong it is to promise unto the Lord what 
you do not mean to perform ! 

Pause then, my dear young friend, and ask 
yourself, When that very solemn question is put 
to me by God's minister, can I honestly answer, 
"I DO ? " I entreat you to give this your 
most serious thought. Remember, it is written 
in the Bible, " When thou vowest a vow unto 
God, defer not to pay it ; for he hath no plea- 
sure in fools : pay that which thou hast vowed. 
Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than 
that thou shouldest vow and not pay." (Eccles. 
v. 4, 5.) 

CHAPTER VI. 
A FEW WOBDS OF ADVICE. 

My object in writing this book is to do you 
good. What I want is, that this Confirmation 
may be a blessing to you. Let me, then, give 
you a very little friendly advice. 

1. Be very attentive to the instructions of your 
Minister. Some foolish persons may think that 
their clergyman gives them a great deal of 
trouble, when he sends for them to talk to them. 
They forget all the time that they are giving 



22 



ADVICE BEFORE CONFIRMATION. 



him a great deal of trouble. But he willingly 
undertakes it, because he is your real friend, 
and wishes to save your soul. But remember, 
the half-hours that you are with him will be of 
little use to you unless you seriously attend to 
all he says. Try, then, to lay up his words in 
your heart, and to profit by them. 

2. Next, I advise you to pray for Grod's grace. 
What you most need is to be taught by Him ; 
and to have His Holy Spirit in your heart. We 
read (Acts, xvi.) that the Lord opened Lydia's 
heart. Pray to Him to open yours. Ask Him 
to take away your " heart of stone," your cold, 
hard heart ; and to give you a new heart. And, 
though some may be careless and thoughtless 
about their Confirmation, beg of Him to make 
you very serious and earnest. 

3. When the day of Confirmation arrives, try 
to be a good deal alone ; and kneel down and 
pray to God often during the day. Then go to 
the church in a quiet, thoughtful manner. Say 
to yourself, " I am going to do a very solemn 
act. I am going to give myself to the Lord." 

4. When you are in church, endeavor to feel 
that God's eye is upon you, and that He is very 
near you. Join heartily in the service. And, 
when you go up to the Bishop, pray from your 
very soul that the Holy Spirit may be given to 



PRAYERS. 



23 



you. Remember, too, when you make your 
promise, that God must help you to keep it. 

And now, I trust, you see plainly that Con- 
firmation is a very solemn thing. If you feel as 
you ought to feel, then this will be a blessed 
means of grace to you ; your soul will be strength- 
ened and confirmed ; and you will be helped for- 
ward on your way to heaven. 



CHAPTER VII. 

PRAYERS. 

1. For one who is preparing for Confirmation. 

O Lord, Thou art my Father and my Friend. 
Thou hast been very good to me during my past 
life. I thank Thee that, when I was but a little 
child, Thou didst take me into Thy fold. I 
was once a poor outcast ; but Thou didst receive 
me into Thy family, and number me among Thy 
flock. But, Lord, I have never loved Thee as I 
ought. Though I have been a Christian in 
name, I have not been a Christian in my con- 
duct. Father, I have sinned. Oh ! pardon me 
for Thy dear Son's sake. Blot out my sins as a 
cloud, and wash away my guilt. 



24 



PKAYERS. 



May I now become a faithful soldier of Christ. 
May I give my whole heart to Him. O my 
God, prepare me for this Confirmation. Oh ! 
let me not undertake it lightly ; but make it a 
very solemn season to my soul. May I listen to 
the instructions of my minister, and profit by 
them. Thou knowest my weakness ; give me 
strength from above. Let Thy Holy Spirit 
dwell with me. Keep me under Thy fatherly 
protection ; and may I never wander from Thee. 
Make me Thine for ever, for the sake of Jesus 
Christ, our Lord. Amen. 

2. A Prayer just before Confirmation. 

O my God, I come to Thee, because I want 
Thy grace and help. I am going to declare my- 
self Thy servant, and to give myself, heart and 
soul, to Thee. Oh ! let me not deceive myself, 
or come before Thee with a lie in my mouth. 
Keep me, O Lord, from so great a sin as this. 
Make me a decided Christian ; and enable me 
to keep the promises which were made for me 
in my baptism. 

When I go to Thy house to be confirmed, may 
I remember that I am in Thy presence. Oh ! 
give me solemn feelings. Keep me from all 
wandering thoughts, and let my heart be fixed 



ADVICE AFTER CONFIRMATION. 25 



on Thee alone. O Lord, strengthen and confirm 
my poor, weak soul. Let Thy Spirit rest upon 
mo. Warm my heart, and fill it with Thy love. 
Hear me, O my God, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
Amen. 



PART THE SECOND. 

%ittt Confirmation. 



CHAPTER I. 

ADYICE TO ONE WHO HAS JUST BEEN CON- 
FIRMED. 

The Confirmation is now over. But I hope 
you will not feel that you need concern yourself 
no more about it. No, dear reader, you must 
not think this. Consider what you have been 
doing. You have declared that God shall be 
your God ; that Christ shall be your Master ; 
and that sin shall be your enemy. Now then 
ask God to give you strength, to enable you to 
carry these good desires into effect. 

Bear in mind that you have many dangers 
before you. Satan will always be trying to 



26 



ADVICE AFTER CONFIRMATION. 



draw you away from God. What he wishes is 
to ruin you. Your own heart too is very sinful : 
it is much more inclined to go wrong than to go 
right. And the world around you is a tempt- 
ing, enticing world. But you have promised to 
resist all these. And God will most surely give 
you His grace to do so, if you will only seek it 
from Him. 

I dare say, some of your companions will try 
to persuade you not to be religious. They will 
talk to you about loving the world a little 
longer, and serving God by-and-bye. If they 
see you thoughtful, they will do their best to 
laugh you out of your right feelings. And if 
you will not do as they do, they will perhaps 
say hard things of you. But be firm, and let 
nothing move you from your purpose. " Fear 
ye not the reproach of men, neither be afraid of 
their revilings." Your Master was spoken 
against, and so will His servants be. Be de- 
cided, and determined by God's help to serve 
Him faithfully. It will cost you something. 
But is it not worth while to bear a little for the 
sake of such a Master ? A few sneers and hard 
names will not really hurt you. They will soon 
be over. And, if you are not ashamed of Christ 
now, He will not be ashamed of you hereafter. 

You have been confirmed. Yes, you are now 



THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



27 



a Confirmed member of the Church. You have 
now many advantages. And it is your high 
privilege to go now and receive the Lord's Sup- 
per, with the rest of God's people. I shall speak 
to you on this subject in the next chapter. 

And now I commend you to God, and pray 
that He may bless you. Once more, I say to 

VOU, BE IN EARNEST, AND GIVE YOUR, WHOLE 

heart to Christ. This is the surest way to 
be happy now, and to be happy for ever ! 



CHAPTER II. 
A FEW PLAIN WORDS ON THE LORD'S SUPPER, 

You have often heard people speak about the 
Lord's Supper. Many of your friends perhaps 
are in the habit of receiving it ; but hitherto 
you have not been invited. But now the invi- 
tation is given to you also. Yes, you are now a 
full member of the Church ; and, if your Minis- 
ter thinks that you are hi a right state of mind, 
you may come to the Lord's Table. I hope you 
feel a hearty longing to come ! 

But what is the Lord's Supper ? I will try 
to make it as plain to you as I can. You know 



28 



THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



that our Lord died upon the cross for us sinners. 
Just before He suffered, He charged His follow- 
ers to do something, in order to bring His death 
constantly before their minds. And what was 
this ? It was to meet together, and eat bread 
and drink wine, in remembrance of Him. The 
broken bread was to remind them of His bruised 
body ; and the wine was to remind them of His 
blood which was shed for them. I advise you 
to look at the following portions of Scripture: 
Matt. xxvi. 26, 27, 28 ; 1 Cor. x. 16 ; xi. 23, 
etc. 

Thus, you see, Christ teaches His people to 
remember Him. And more than this, He actu- 
ally feeds and nourishes their souls, and He re- 
freshes and comforts their hearts. 

And can you, my dear young Christian, be 
happy if you disobey this loving command of 
your Saviour ? Can you hope that the Lord 
will bless you, and that He will keep your soul 
in health ? Your body would soon die without 
food ; and so will your soul without this heav- 
enly nourishment. 

Some people are afraid of receiving the Lord's 
Supper. I do not wonder at it ; for they do not 
in their hearts serve Christ. They have no sor- 
row for sin, no faith in the Saviour, and no love 
for Him. The Lord's Supper is not for such as 
these. 



THE LORD'S SUPPER. 



29 



But I hopeJbetter things of you. I trust that 
you feel deeply grieved at your past sins ; that 
you are now looking to Christ for pardon ; and 
that it is your earnest desire faithfully and truly 
to follow Him. Then come to the Lord's table. 
When you take the bread and wine, think of 
that precious Body and Blood, which was so 
freely given for you. Try to feed upon Christ 
by faith. And when you see your dear Chris- 
tian brethren kneeling around you, let your 
heart be warmed with love to them. 

Oh, what a great privilege and blessing you 
are invited to partake of ! I hope you will not 
turn away from it. Do not say in your heart, 
" I ought to go ; " but rather say " Blessed be 
God, I am now 'permitted to join my Christian 
brethren at this blessed feast." 

Some will say, You are too young. But surely 
if you were old enough to be confirmed, you are 
old enough to appear at the Lord's Table. 

Some will say, You had better wait. Alas ! 
how many will have waited till too late ! Oh, 
will you wait till Satan gets more power over 
you? Will you keep away from Christ till 
your heart grows cold, and your good resolutions 
die away ? No, now is the accepted time. Do 
you love your Saviour? Is He really precious 
to you ? Then " do this in remembrance of 
Him." 



30 



PRAYERS. 



You recollect what was said, in* the first chap- 
ter of this book, about the young man who was 
so bent on being a soldier. May your mind be 
as earnestly set on being a bold, faithful, and 
true Soldier of Jesus Christ ! May you 
fight manfully under His banner, and may you 
trust to His cross for salvation ! And then, at 
last, you will be able to say with St. Paul, " I 
have fought a good fight, I have finished my 
course, I have kept the faith ; henceforth there 
is laid up for me a crown of righteousness ! " 
(2 Tim. iv. 7, 8.) 

Soldiers of Christ, arise, 

And put your armor on ; 
Strong in the strength which God supplies, 

Through His eternal Son: 

That, having all things done, 

And all your conflicts past? 
You may behold your victory won, 

And stand complete at last. 



CHAPTER III. 

PRAYERS. 

1. A Prayer to be used after Confirmation. 

O heavenly Father, grant that the solemn 
day of my Confirmation may never be forgotten 



PRAYERS. 



31 



by me. Let me never forget that I have given 
myself afresh to Thee. Pardon whatever was 
wrong in me during the service. Forgive the 
coldness of my heart, and all my wandering 
thoughts. Give me more of Thy grace. Grant 
that I may now show that I am truly Thy ser- 
I vant. Make me happy in Thy service; and 
may I find that Thy yoke is easy, and Thy bur- 
den light. 

When Satan tempts me, or the world entices 
me, give me grace to resist them. May I follow 
Christ with all my heart. Let me never be 
ashamed to call Him my Master ; but may I 
fight manfully under His banner against sin, 
the world, and the devil. O Lord, enable me 
to serve Thee faithfully in this life ; and then 
receive me into Thy heavenly kingdom, for 
Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. 

2. A Prayer for one who is going to receive the 
Lord's Supper for the first time. 

O my God, I heartily thank Thee that I am 
now invited to draw nearer to my Saviour, and 
to join my fellow-Christians at His table. Par- 
don my unfitness, and prepare me for that 
blessed ordinance. Thpu knowest how often my 
thoughtless heart has strayed from Thee ; Lord, 
bring me back. 



32 



PRAYERS. 



O blessed Spirit, teach me to grieve and 
mourn for sin. Give me grace to believe in 
Christ. Be pleased in mercy to take away this 
hard, stony heart of mine ; and give me a ten- 
der, loving heart. Enable me now to feed upon 
Christ in this holy sacrament. Let me enjoy 
His presence, and taste that He is gracious. 
When I am at Thy table, put away from me all 
worldly thoughts. Warm my heart ; and teach 
me to love Thee. Oh, may this sacrament be 
a rich blessing to me ! 

Heavenly Father, I now solemnly commit 
myself to Thee. Keep me by Thy power from 
all the dangers that surround me. Let me never 
be ashamed of my Saviour ; and never fall back 
into the ways of this sinful world. And when 
at length my days here are ended, take me to 
dwell with Thee forever, for Jesus Christ's sake. 
Amen. 



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